Whitehorse weather in January
January in Whitehorse: freezing, dry, with clean air — not the time — well below freezing.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#11 of 12 months in Whitehorse · #1371 of 1413 destinations to visit in January · comfort 28/100 (tier F)
- Days
- -8°C
- Nights
- -16°C
- Wet days
- 6
- Sun
- 2.6 h
- Humidity
- 84%
- Daylight
- 7 h
Traveller notes on Whitehorse in January
Forum posters cite an average January temperature around -17C in Whitehorse, milder than Yellowknife's roughly -26C average for the same month, and consistently rate January through March as the clearest months of winter for aurora viewing, with September through November noted as cloudier by comparison. Posters recommend basing in Whitehorse and taking day tours out to aurora-viewing spots and other activities, with several tour operators offering winter clothing rental packages for visitors who don't have their own extreme-cold gear. Posters generally recommend a guided tour over self-driving for anyone not experienced with winter driving conditions, since some nearby routes like Dawson stay very quiet and see only a few hours of daylight this time of year. Posters generally rate January as a strong, if seriously cold, month for aurora-focused visits to Whitehorse.
Other months in Whitehorse
July gives Whitehorse close to round-the-clock light — over eighteen hours on the record — and the forum rates July to September as the window for hiking. Near the solstice you can walk safely on a clear night, though cloud makes it too dark. Days average 21°C. Two honest caveats. The first is bugs: mosquitoes are at their worst in June and July, bad enough that regulars pack mosquito-proof clothing, and once they ease it turns into black fly season. The second is the aurora — the Yukon season runs from about 20 August to early April, so a July trip is a summer trip. The forum's own suggestion for wanting both is summer in Whitehorse, winter in Yellowknife.
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Whitehorse climate normals — January
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Whitehorse in January
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
Peak crowdsChristmas Day closures, Winter / Christmas break in Canada, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Whitehorse's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Toughest weatherWhitehorse's weather peaks June–August, best around July.
January coincides with Deep winter cold.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Whitehorse in January
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Nature
Aurora season
20 Aug – 10 Apr · usuallyDark enough to see the lights from late August until the light comes back in spring, with a break either side of the solstice when it never really gets dark. Get out of the city glow and up the Klondike Highway.
- Hazard
Deep winter cold
1 Dec – 28 FebExtreme coldCold snaps take the territory well past minus thirty and the highways out of town become a serious undertaking rather than a drive. Block heaters are standard and the road reports are worth reading twice. Source ↗
- Holiday
Christmas Day closures
24 Dec – 1 JanChristmas & New YearClosuresChristmas Day is a statutory holiday nationwide: most shops, museums and many restaurants close and transit runs a holiday schedule. Boxing Day brings sales crowds to the malls where it is kept, and 1 January is another quiet, mostly closed day. Source ↗
- Season
Snow season
Ski seasonAbout 45 cm of snow falls in the month.
from the climate normals
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Whitehorse — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Whitehorse?
Whitehorse in January — FAQ
- Is January a good time to visit Whitehorse?
- January in Whitehorse: freezing, dry, with clean air — not the time — well below freezing. It ranks #11 of 12 months for Whitehorse on SeasonMap's comfort score (28/100).
- What is the weather like in Whitehorse in January?
- In January, Whitehorse averages a daily high of -8°C and a low of -16.4°C, with about 21.6 mm of rain over roughly 6.3 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Whitehorse in January?
- Whitehorse has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 36 in January.
- Does it snow in Whitehorse in January?
- Whitehorse sees roughly 44.6 cm of snowfall in January.
Within 300 km: Juneau's Eaglecrest ski season around 5 Dec – 5 Apr.